Where Do We Go From Here?

[BlueLlama]

Like most of you reading this I went through the agony of the on-off-on-please don't let it happen-oh bollox of Arteta's transfer. This was obviously the stand out momet of yesterdays shenanigans but there was a lot more going on with implications for the club

ARTETA

Well most of you ****ged him off last season and now he has gone. He was our best player from his first full season until his underachieving last time round. His set pieces went shocking and he misplaced more passes but most of us beleieved last season was a blip and that we had him nailed down on a long tem contract. We all knew that someone was likely to leave. What we did not expect was for it to be for only 10 million (5 - 6 million to little?) and for him to ask to leave. He still remeained our most creative outlet and will be hugely missed. I do not believe that this was all last minute - Drenthe was presumably only going to sign if Arteta left - and as I heard the confirmation that he was now an Arsenal player I remembered Moyes saying after the Blackburn game that he didn't know why Arteta took that last minute penalty instead of Baines - I guess he knew it might be his last game and wanted to sign off in style.

STRIKERS

Our front line was already supermodel thin and now we have one less striker. The Yak leaving was no suprise and after hearing that he would be content to run down his contract and leave on a free I am happy we got a bit of cash back for him. I don't know how much he was on a week but I guees it was around £50,000 a week. All he really contributed last season was a the seasons 2nd best shoulder barge so it's good to have him off the wage bill.
What I didn't expect though is for Beckford to leave as well. He isn't on that big a salary and looked like he was going to be a useful prem striker. I guess we needed the money more.
So we are left with a hugely talented, injury prone veteran, a poor mans Emile Heskey and an unknown Argentine who speaks no English and will need several months to adapt backed up by Velios and Baxter. Not good enough.

NEW SIGNINGS

Both should be excellent additions to the team. Strac will need time to bed in and get used to a quicker style of football but clearly has bags of promise. Drenthe is road runner quick and brings much needed cover on the left.
What I don't like is that they are both on loans when we have sold 3 more players. Unless we have first options etc added into the contracts then presumably they will get poached by someone richer and more ambitious at the end of the season.

So what now? Our finances need no further discussion - Moyes won't get any of that cash back - and we now have the smallest squad I can remember.
I think we are now paying the price for the 2 appalling starts to the last 2 seasons that left us just short of European football. We have a number of players in the squad who could hold their own in the Champions League yet we can not even off them the Euro league. The only shock will be now if more don't want out.
Unless the new boys hit the ground runningthe best we can hope for is mid-table. Do you really think that the likes of Baines, Heitinga, Jagielka and Fellaini will settle for that?
I can only hope that Moyes can galvinise the players to go on and prove us all wrong. The last time I felt this bad about EFC was after Rooney left and we did alright after that.
Still it's worth remembering that we have the leagues best left back, it's most promising homegrown talent in Barkley and half a dozen others who would look at home in a top 4 side. We really should be winning more than we lose.
Just pray we don't get too mnay injuries and that the bank man has been staved off for at least another year.

[MoutsGoat]

The Championship.

[Cena]

I'm going the match week satdee, getting bladdered just gonna go with the ride... great post btw BL

[BlueLlama]

I'm going the match week satdee, getting bladdered just gonna go with the ride... great post btw BL

cheers, i guess thats all we can do really

[chris_b]

The Championship.

On what basis exactly - I would question whether we are weaker now than before. Yak was always going, Beckford showed that he his a decent goalscorer but was never going to be a top striker as his first touch was too poor, so if somebody offered £5m then it was good business.
Drenthe provides width and pace which we have been lacking - and without Arteta we might be able to find some balance in the midfield at last

[nsno-chris]

A change in team dynamics and maybe shape. Drenthe will offer blistering pace, something we have lacked for years; possibility of him and Gueye on each wing, Baines and Coleman providing support and Denis having the ability to hold the ball up and bring the midfielders into the game.

[Bryan]

I'm going the match week satdee, getting bladdered just gonna go with the ride... great post btw BL

You do that every week!

[Cena]

You do that every week!

Hahaha true, but i think it's need especially for Villa, may have to have a brandy or 2, which i normally only reserve for derby games to calm the nerves

[Bryan]

Hahaha true, but i think it's need especially for Villa, may have to have a brandy or 2, which i normally only reserve for derby games to calm the nerves

I don't blame you mate, and i absoloutly tip my hat to you for keeping the faith mate, i'm devastated here - i loved Mikel, and still do - but hate seeing them leave for clubs who are playing Champions League, and what makes it worse is Moyes admitting he can't offer them it.

Baines, Jags, our other decent lads all deserve that - it'll hurt once they see it and have a chat amongst themselves.

Moyes has always been an Alchemist, and will continue to - but he can only turn so much gold out..

[EFCNIK]

To Costa coffee, to get myself a nice large latte with 50% discount. Maybe I'll get a bit of cinammon put in aswell. Who knows. I'm feeling fancy today.

[Rugby Toffee]

Numerically we are about the same. Last season Mikel was absent more often than not and when he was playing he was a shadow of his former self. Beckford I think showed Moyes disrespect and I think Davey would have never forgotten that. 4m for a free transfer financially aint bad business. The Yak well he was missing for nearly all last season , so overall in the grand scheme of things the only real difference is Beckfords goals.

Mikel never was the same player after his injuries. Fingers crossed the young boys will come good and the 2 loanees hit the ground running.

Mid table again methinks.

[Muggins]

Into the kitchen to cook bacon.

[Cena]

I don't blame you mate, and i absoloutly tip my hat to you for keeping the faith mate, i'm devastated here - i loved Mikel, and still do - but hate seeing them leave for clubs who are playing Champions League, and what makes it worse is Moyes admitting he can't offer them it.

Baines, Jags, our other decent lads all deserve that - it'll hurt once they see it and have a chat amongst themselves.

Moyes has always been an Alchemist, and will continue to - but he can only turn so much gold out..

Oh mate, im devestated, and my faith is waning and at its lowest. But it's times like these that make you appreciate the good when they come again.

I remember last year coming back from Brentford when we just got beat on Pens, it was horrible, i was angry, upset, disillusioned, similar to now - but then when we beat Chelsea on pens at their place, that made Brentford all the more worthwile, if you get me? Going through that low, made that unbelievable high at Chelsea feel that bit sweeter.

So the way i see it, i just have to keep the faith and keep going the match. First and foremost, its the best way to spend the weekend socially, regardless of result for me, and secondly, if we do ever get boss again and say reach a cup final, it'l be that thing to me that it'l feel sweeter, plus i can turn round and say "i was there when we were sh1t" which loads of Chelsea etc can't do.

Not saying by the way that i'm having a go at people who are choosing to stay away at the minute, that is their choice and that is fine...

[Bryan]

Oh mate, im devestated, and my faith is waning and at its lowest. But it's times like these that make you appreciate the good when they come again.

I remember last year coming back from Brentford when we just got beat on Pens, it was horrible, i was angry, upset, disillusioned, similar to now - but then when we beat Chelsea on pens at their place, that made Brentford all the more worthwile, if you get me? Going through that low, made that unbelievable high at Chelsea feel that bit sweeter.

So the way i see it, i just have to keep the faith and keep going the match. First and foremost, its the best way to spend the weekend socially, regardless of result for me, and secondly, if we do ever get boss again and say reach a cup final, it'l be that thing to me that it'l feel sweeter, plus i can turn round and say "i was there when we were sh1t" which loads of Chelsea etc can't do.

Not saying by the way that i'm having a go at people who are choosing to stay away at the minute, that is their choice and that is fine...

No mate, quite rightly, which is what i mean about sticking it out - you're right in there with them and are the heart and soul of the club, i can't afford ( and when you get older you may understand ) my conscience to part with time ( not necessarily money ) for a club which is slowly being pulled apart by men in suits.

[Cena]

No mate, quite rightly, which is what i mean about sticking it out - you're right in there with them and are the heart and soul of the club, i can't afford ( and when you get older you may understand ) my conscience to part with time ( not necessarily money ) for a club which is slowly being pulled apart by men in suits.

I completely understand mate, i can't really afford it and for the life of me, i keep putting money into it - it's like a drug and these bells know you will pay.

But i'm with you for not going and i'm with those who are staying away at the minute which have contributed to low attendances in our 1st 2 home games. The sad thing is, i'm going more for social reasons rather than football at the minute. When the game starts i'm totally into it, but i'm looking forward to the day out on the ale more with me mates

[billycopper]

Numerically we are about the same. Last season Mikel was absent more often than not and when he was playing he was a shadow of his former self. Beckford I think showed Moyes disrespect and I think Davey would have never forgotten that. 4m for a free transfer financially aint bad business. The Yak well he was missing for nearly all last season , so overall in the grand scheme of things the only real difference is Beckfords goals.

Mikel never was the same player after his injuries. Fingers crossed the young boys will come good and the 2 loanees hit the ground running.

Mid table again methinks.

It's backs to the wall stuff, really. We've got by because we've had to. If Saha continues to be dogged by injury and Straq doesn't hit the ground running, then we're really going to be struggling for goals. Replacing the mobile Beckford with a big unit like the Argentinian is inevitably going to make our play less attractive. I'm definitely concerned.

[BlueLlama]

It's backs to the wall stuff, really. We've got by because we've had to. If Saha continues to be dogged by injury and Straq doesn't hit the ground running, then we're really going to be struggling for goals. Replacing the mobile Beckford with a big unit like the Argentinian is inevitably going to make our play less attractive. I'm definitely concerned.

spot on mate. I guess we will start off trying to pass it around nicely then if we go behind or get frustrated it's going to be a rewind to the Walter years